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AAP
AAP
Sport
Oliver Caffrey

McDonald still unsure on Aussie coach job

Interim Australian men's cricket coach Andrew McDonald is guarded on possible full-time ambitions. (AAP)

Andrew McDonald remains hesitant to reveal his ambitions for Australia's coaching position as the Pakistan tour comes to an end.

Australia will finish their first trip to Pakistan in 24 years with a sole Twenty20 against the hosts in Lahore on Wednesday morning (AEST).

McDonald has been Australia's interim coach since Justin Langer's departure from the top job in February.

The 40-year-old revealed he had discussions with Cricket Australia after the 1-0 Test series win over Pakistan but believed it was still early in the process to make a definite call on his future.

"Obviously the congested Test series didn't allow that but with a few more gaps in this one-day series I've had the opportunity to speak with Cricket Australia," McDonald said on Monday.

"Whether that becomes a follow-up conversation we'll wait and see.

"It will be pretty much like the other people who have no doubt spoken to Cricket Australia.

"Within the chats, there was no great detail or clarity on what the role would look like."

When asked if he wanted the job full-time, McDonald claimed he is still unsure.

"It depends on what it looks like, how Cricket Australia see the job unfolding and looking like and we'll get more detail on that going forward," he said.

"I don't really want to openly share what I think it should look like because that might put people in difficult situations throughout the process."

McDonald has the backing of Australia's playing cohort, with Test captain Pat Cummins recently praising the former allrounder's influence on the team.

After repeatedly refusing to endorse Langer as the former coach battled to cling onto his job after the Ashes, Cummins declared McDonald was a vital part of just Australia's third Test series win in Pakistan.

"It's not just the players that walk out, we have got a squad of 30-odd people working so hard," Cummins said last month.

"He (McDonald) has been an important part.

"It's not my place to appoint the coach, but he has been fantastic"

Meanwhile, McDonald revealed Josh Inglis and Ashton Agar could be available for the T20 after recovering from COVID-19.

Australia were reduced to just 13 available players for the ODI series after the West Australian pair tested positive for coronavirus.

T20 World Cup hero Mitch Marsh was also struck down by a hip injury, forcing him to return home to Perth.

After winning the opening ODI, Australia lost the last two matches, including a nine-wicket thumping to end the series.

"(Agar and Inglis) returned their first negative test," McDonald said.

"They were in our last T20 set-up against Sri Lanka so depending on how they front for training, we will communicate with them on the possibility of playing."

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